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Brand: KLONOPIN
Published 2026-02-13 · Last reviewed 2026-02-20 · 5 references
Content sourced from FDA labeling (DailyMed) and peer-reviewed literature.
Clonazepam (brand Klonopin) is a high-potency, long-acting benzodiazepine approved for seizure disorders (1975) and panic disorder (1998). In psychiatric practice it is used off label for catatonia, acute agitation, or short-term augmentation of severe anxiety while primary therapies take effect.
Its 30–40 hour half-life provides sustained coverage but leads to accumulation in older adults or hepatic impairment. Tablets and orally disintegrating tablets (0.5 mg, 1 mg, 2 mg) can be swallowed or administered sublingually when rapid absorption is required. Dependence risk mandates clear treatment goals and taper plans for every course.
The clonazepam compare view, clonazepam evidence feed, and clonazepam print page can support shared decision-making and take-home counseling; the schizophrenia hub and bipolar disorder hub include catatonia and agitation workflows.
Schedule IV status reflects misuse potential. It is often reserved for targeted indications, with frequent reassessment; counseling commonly focuses on dependence/withdrawal risk and impaired driving risk.
View labelExactRefer to the Glossary entry on Neurotransmitters for background on receptor systems involved in serious mental illness.
Positive allosteric modulator of GABA-A receptors that increases GABA affinity and chloride channel opening, enhancing inhibitory neurotransmission.
High intrinsic potency (~0.5 mg clonazepam equals ~10 mg diazepam) means small dose changes can produce large effects and heighten overdose risk when combined with other sedatives.
Clonazepam monitoring is centered on safety (sedation/respiratory depression), dependence risk, and structured tapering rather than routine laboratory surveillance.